Austin school board to talk budget issues

Published 1:00 pm Saturday, March 9, 2013

The Austin Public Schools board will decide Monday evening whether to approve an amended budget for the remainder of its 2012-2013 fiscal year.

The amended budget includes slight increases in state aid, which makes up the largest portion, 82.9 percent, of the $49.7 million budget. Funding from federal aid will drop by less than 1 percent, and funding from miscellaneous sources will grow from 2.6 percent to 4 percent of the budget.

Compared to the previous fiscal year, 2012-2013 saw the district maintain the same class sizes. Two teachers and one principal were added to faculty, and enrollment increased by about 66 students.

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Amended budget source

$41.2 million, state aid
$3.8 million, local levy
$2.6 million, federal aid
$1.9 million, miscellaneous

Amended budget expenditures

56.4 percent, salaries
22.9 percent, employee benefits
10.4 percent, purchased services
5.1 percent, capital expenditures
4.8 percent, supplies and materials
>1 percent, resale and debt service

 Other business

During the meeting, the board will also:

— Decide whether to approve the low bid of $374,500 from Schwickert’s Tecta America for work on the roof at Sumner Elementary.

— Hear department updates from Educational Services, the Community Learning Center, Special Services and I.J. Holton Principal Jean McDermott.

— Decide whether to accept a total of $4,160 in donations to the district, including $3,500 from Ford Motors for a weight room upgrade at AHS.

— Review a policy on health and safety measures in the district, which gives the board the ability to create a health and safety committee and establish written procedures for how to handle such health threats as asbestos and forklift safety.

— Decide whether to approve a resolution directing administrators to recommend how to cut costs and operate more efficiently.